PCM alum Clevenger chosen for IFCA Hall of Fame

Sixty Iowa high school football coaches have won at least 200 games in their careers.

Monroe native and current Saint Ansgar head coach Drew Clevenger likely will eclipse that mark in 2025.

When he hits that milestone mark, he will have Hall of Famer next to his name, too, as Clevenger was voted into the Iowa Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame this past season.

“It’s humbling for sure,” Clevenger said. “I don’t think anyone gets into coaching thinking something like this will happen. There’s a lot of great names in the Hall of Fame, and I’m honored to be included.”

Clevenger, a 1993 PCM graduate, joins an IFCA Hall of Fame that includes all-time wins leader Jerry Pezetti as well Dick Tighe, Curt Bladt and Gary Swenson, who all have more than 400 career victories.

Former Newton head football coach John Jenkins, Jasper County native and current Dowling Catholic head football coach Tom Wilson and former University of Iowa assistant coach Reese Morgan also are part of that group.

Clevenger’s Hall of Fame class includes Sioux City Heelan’s Roger Jansen, Williamsburg’s Curt Ritchie, Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley’s Cory Brandt and Marshall Scichilone of Woodbine and Council Bluffs St. Albert.

Clevenger has known Wilson for more than 40 years as Wilson graduated high school with Drew’s older sister.

They also are currently serving together on the IFCA Board of Directors.

“He has been a big influence on me from Day 1,” Clevenger said about Wilson. “He really helped me out when I first started as a young head coach, and he has always been someone to try and emulate as a coach. I see him a couple times a year at different football functions and at our board of directors meetings.”

To be a part of the IFCA Hall of Fame, Iowa football coaches have to be head coaches for at least 15 years and be nominated by someone.

It then goes to the IFCA Board of Directors Committee and that group voted at the spring clinic in Des Moines. The Hall of Fame class was released to the public in late fall or early winter, according to Clevenger.

Clevenger has spent all 25 of his years as a head football coach at Saint Ansgar. He was an assistant coach for two seasons before taking over the program at 25 years old.

Clevenger, who still has family living in Jasper County, is currently 194-71, and he’s won at least 10 games eight times since 2014.

“When you look at his resume, it’s a no-brainer that Drew is Hall of Fame worthy,” said Dallas Center-Grimes head football coach Scott Heitland, who is the chair of the IFCA Hall of Fame Committee. “His team’s year in year out are postseason regulars and their performance speak loudly to his ability as a coach.”

Saint Ansgar won the Class 1A state championship under Clevenger’s leadership in 2011. He guided the program to the state semifinals this past fall and also in 2006, 2011, 2016, 2017, 2019 and 2020.

The Saints have made the playoffs 19 times since 2003.

“Drew is a first-class person, the kind of guy who you want to coach your son because you know he’ll do it the right way,” Heitland said.